Optoelectronic communications modules (also called assemblies), including fiber optical transmitters, receivers, transceivers, and transponders, are increasingly used in modern technology. An optoelectronic communications assembly will typically include optoelectronic or electro-optic circuitry and supporting circuitry that accomplish control, setup, monitoring, and identification operations, among other things. Basic supporting circuits within an optoelectronic assembly may include a controller or processer, a laser driver circuit, which accepts high speed digital data and electrically drives an LED or laser diode to create equivalent optical pulses, and/or a receiver circuit which takes relatively small signals from an optical detector and amplifies and limits them to create a uniform amplitude digital electronic output.
In addition to these circuits, an optoelectronic assembly may include identification circuitry. For example, a general purpose memory device, typically EEPROM (electrically erasable and programmable read only memory) or other nonvolatile memory may be communicatively coupled to a controller or processor of the optoelectronic assembly. The memory is accessible to a host into which the optoelectronic assembly is installed, typically via a pluggable connection. For example, the optoelectronic assembly includes a host serial bus coupled to a host serial interface controller that controls the host serial bus. The host serial bus includes an electrical interface located on a side of the optoelectronic assembly facing the host. The host serial bus can be an I2C (Inter-IC) or MDIO bus. An I2C bus is a bi-directional two-wire serial bus that provides a communication link between integrated circuits. An MDIO bus is a Management Data Input/Output bus, as described by the IEEE 802.3 specification. Alternatively, another bi-directional serial interface could be used.
The memory device is used to store various information identifying, e.g., the optoelectronic assembly type, capability, serial number, compatibility with various standards, sub-component revisions, and factory test data. The memory device may also store firmware and operational parameters, such as power on time, end-of-life data, and temperature compensation tables or functions. The memory device is typically accessible via a host, such as a computer or server, into which the optoelectronic assembly is installed or plugged. However, accessing the data stored in the memory device via the host can often be inconvenient or time-consuming. Moreover, it may be desirable to write data to the memory device that is associated with or identifies a particular fiber optic cable used by the optoelectronic assembly to interface with an optical network. Thus, other methods and media are desired for accessing data stored in a memory device of an optoelectronic communications assembly.
The subject matter claimed herein is not limited to embodiments that solve any disadvantages or that operate only in environments such as those described above. Rather, this background is only provided to illustrate one exemplary technology area where some embodiments described herein may be practiced.